As daily cases drop, MLHU talks school pop-up clinics and dose intervals
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 13 new COVID-19 cases, but no new deaths Thursday; meanwhile the health unit will be offering pop-up vaccination clinics at select regional schools next week and answers questions on shortened vaccination intervals.
The count marks a return to daily counts below 25 after a slight surge in cases on Wednesday.
The region now has a total of 12,487 cases and 223 deaths, with 12,155 cases resolved leaving 109 active. There are now 3,411 cases with a variant of concern.
The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is reporting 19 inpatients with COVID-19. Nine of those are in critical care, while out-of-region transfers accounts for fewer than five patients in acute care and critical care.
There are currently five LHSC employees positive with COVID-19.
The only active outbreak in the region is at LHSC's University Hospital in the 8TU Transplant Unit.
Starting Wednesday, anyone who received their first vaccine dose on or before May 9, can begin re-booking an earlier second dose appointment.
That is in addition to all adults 70 and over, all Indigenous residents and those with specific health conditions.
POP-UP VACCINATION CLINICS COMING AT SOME SCHOOLS
The MLHU announced Thursday that they will be offering pop-up vaccination clinics at select schools in Middlesex County and London to better reach families and youth who have not yet received their first shot.
The clinics will begin operating on Monday, June 21.
Each of the one day clinics will be open between 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and can accomodate up to 350 people.
"We know that there are still people in the community who have not been able to book a vaccination appointment or who aren't able to get to one of our vaccination clinics, but who still very much want to receive the vaccine. There clinics are for them," said Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers in a statement.
The clinics have been made possible in part due to the deliver of 17,000 additional doses of the Moderna vaccine, with a similar amount expected next week as well.
Appointments for the school-based clinics are now available to students and families within those schools and will open up to the general public on Saturday.
Some walk in appointments are expected to be available.
'SCIENCE DOES CHANGE': EXPLAINING EMERGING DATA ON VACCINES
Recommendations continue to change in regards to when you should get your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and which vaccine that should be.
During Thursday’s media briefing MLHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie was asked if the evolving data played a part in vaccine hesitancy.
“It’s a chronic problem that we have with trying to explain science to the general public because science does change.”
Mackie went on to describe the impact of the Delta variant, and how that has sparked a change in policy.
“Six months ago, we thought one dose was protective. The research trials were showing that from all of the COVID circulating around the world one dose was very protective, so we spread out the second doses." Mackie adds, “Now we have a variant that you really need that second dose, so of course the advice is going to change.”
The argument that is used against public health officials and scientists is often what they previously recommended.
Mackie counters,“This is an example of advice changing when information changes and the picture evolves, and that is exactly what are system should be doing and what our leaders should be doing in response.”
On Thursday, Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) also recommended that people who received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine receive a second dose of an mRNA vaccine.
REGIONAL COVID-19 CASE COUNTS
Here are the most recently available numbers from other local public health authorities:
- Elgin-Oxford – four new, 27 active, 3,847 total, 3,737 resolved, 83 deaths, 782 variants
- Grey-Bruce – 12 new, 48 active, 1,409 total, 1,354 resolved, seven deaths, 398 variants
- Haldimand-Norfolk – two new, 32 active, 2,692 total, 2,607 resolved, 47 deaths
- Huron-Perth – five new, 20 active, 1,872 total, 1,795 resolved, 57 deaths, 302 variants
- Sarnia-Lambton – one new, 22 active, 3,553 total, 3,469 resolved, 62 deaths, 621 variants
Across Ontario 370 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Thursday, a slight drop from the 384 reported the day before.
On Tuesday, officials marked the lowest daily total since Sept. 17 with 293 infections.
Ontario’s rolling seven-day average now stands at 443, down from 618 at this point last week.
- With files from CTV News Toronto and CTV News London's Marek Sutherland
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.